Background: Fibromyalgia is a common and debilitating condition. The cardinal feature of fibromyalgia is musculoskeletal pain, usually accompanied by other problems, such as fatigue, sleep disturbance and cognitive difficulties. Fibromyalgia commonly coexists with other chronic illnesses and can result in poorer outcomes if untreated.
Objective: The objective of this review is to discuss when fibromyalgia should be considered as a diagnosis, how it is diagnosed, the current understanding of the pathophysiology of fibromyalgia and the management strategies available.
Discussion: The features of fibromyalgia are similar to those of many other chronic illnesses, sometimes resulting in diagnostic confusion. Fibromyalgia can co-exist with other disorders and it is important to consider the possibility of fibromyalgia contributing to symptoms in any chronically ill patient.